Finger splint



Juiy "E1, 1967 n. E. BROWN 3,3332% FINGER SPLIN'I' Filed June 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l E. BROWN 3,330,27G FINGER SPLINT I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 11, 1967 Filed June I9, 1964 /1/4/Y f. B/PQWA/ By @14 M. A 772201415 2% United States Patent ()1 3,330,270 FINGER SPLINT Ivan E. Brown, 551 W. Maple Drive, Hartley, Iowa 51346 Filed June 19, 1964, Ser. No. 376,453 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-87) This invention relates to a digit splint and more particularly to a finger splint used in the treatment of sprained and fractured fingers.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved finger splint for holding an injured finger in a set linear position during the period of convalescence without unnecessary encumbrance to the uninjured members of the hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a finger splint which permits the free movement of the injured finger from the metacarpal-phalangeal joint while providing rigid structure for the fixation of the phalanges.

A further object of the invention is to provide a finger splint which when used is positionable on the dorsal side gt the injured finger and stabilized on the top side of the and.

Another object of the invention is to provide a digit splint which is manufactured in varying sizes so as to be usable to fix any digit joint or the entire digit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a unitary and sanitary finger splint which does not irritate the injured finger and is reliable and effective in use and economical in cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the finger splint of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a hand having a finger held in a set position with the splint of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the hand of FIG. 1 showing the position of the splint on the dorsal side of the finger with the tape removed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the splint of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view partly in section of the splint of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the finger splint of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view partly in section of the splint of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another modification of the finger splint of FIG. 3 with part of the elastic tube broken away to show the wire member;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a further modification of the finger splint of FIG. 3 with part of the elastic tube broken away to show the wire member; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in FIG. 1 an appendage of the human anatomy illustrated as a hand 10 having an injured finger 11. The base section of the finger 11 is pivotally connected to the palm section 12 of the hand by a knuckle or metacarpal-phalangeal joint 13. The finger 11 has a distal end 14 and dorsal and ventral sides 16 and 17, respectively.

In the treatment of sprained or fractured finger bones it is necessary to hold the finger in a set linear position during the period of convalescence. In order to have the maximum use of the hand it is desirable that the injured finger be allowed to have free movement from the metacarpal-phalangeal joint. As shown in FIG. 1, the injured finger 11 is held in a set linear position by a splint indicated generally at 18 positioned on the dorsal side 16 of the finger. Tape 19 is wrapped around selected por- 3,330,270 Patented July 11, 1967 tions of the finger and splint to firmly hold the splint 18 in engagement with the dorsal or top side of the finger. With the splint 18 positioned on the dorsal side 16, the finger 11 is permitted to have pivotal movement about the metacarpal-phalangeal joint as illustrated in light lines.

As shown in FIG. 3, the splint 18 comprises an endless wire member indicated generally at 21 preferably of round spring steel having a diameter of .036 inch. The wire member 21 has a pair of linear body sections 22 and 23 positioned in a common plane and extended substantially parallel to each other. The body sections 22 and 23 are spaced from each other so as to position the body sections on opposite sides of the center line of the finger. The inner ends of the body sections 22 and 23 are integrally joined with a large loop section 24. The outer ends of the body sections 22 and 23 are integral with a semicircular end section 26.

The body sections 22 and 23 and the loop section 24 are secured to a pad of resilient material 27 such as foam rubber or yieldable foam plastic. The pad 27 has a shape similar to the shape of the area enclosed by the body sections 22 and 23 and the loop 24 and has a periph-' eral section extended outwardly of the area defined by the wire member 21. An adhesive material, such as rubber cement, is used to secure the wire member 21 to the top side of the pad 27.

The over-all length of the splint 18, and the diameter of the loop section 24 will vary according to the size and type of digit, such as finger, thumb or toe, with which it is to be used. For example, the over-all length of the splint 18 will vary from one to seven inches and the diameter of the loop 24 will vary from to 1% inches. The pad of resilient material 27 has a thickness of 4 inch and a width of inch.

In use, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the splint 18 is positioned adjacent the dorsal side 16 of the injured finger 11 with the loop section 24 extended around the top of the knuckle joint 13. The pad of elastic material 27 is interposed between the wire of the body sections 22 and 23 and loop section 24 thereby preventing direct contact of the wire member 21 with the finger and eliminating irritation of the finger by the wire member.

The splint 18 is held in position on the dorsal side 16 of the finger by tape 19 which is wound around the ventral side 17 of the finger and over the splint 18.

The finger 11 together with the splint 18 and tape 19 can be moved as a unit about the knuckle joint 13 with.

the splint 18 providing a rigid structure for holding the finger 11 in a set linear position. The splint 18 being on the dorsal side 16 of the finger does not interfere with the palm section 12 the hand thus permits maximum movement of the injured finger 11 about the knuckle joint 13. i

A modified form of the splint indicated generally at 28 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The splint 28 has an oblong shape and comprises an endless stiff wire member 29 ofv round spring steel having a pair of linearly extended body sections 31 and 32 connected at their opposite ends with semicircular sections 33 and 34. The body sections 31 and 32 are laterally spaced from each other and extend substantially parallel to each other in a common plane.

The length of and the transverse distance between the body sections 31 and 32 will vary according to the size and type of digit with which it is to be used. For example, the length of the wire member 29 will vary from one to six inches with the transverse distance between the body sections 31 and 32 being about of an inch. Thus, by the selection of a particular size of splint any finger joint or the entire finger may be held in a set linear position.

The wire member 29 is secured to an oblong pad 36 of resilient material such as foam rubber or yieldable foam plastic. The pad 36 is slightly longer and wider Tape is used to hold the splint 28 in a positioned relation-' ship with respect to the top side of the finger.

Another modification of the splint of this invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and indicated generally at 37. This splint has a wire member 38 having the physical characteristics and shape of the wire member 21 shown in FIG. 3. The entire wire member 38 is encased in a tube 39 of soft plastic material.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tube 39 has an internal diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the wire member 38. This size relationship between the tube 39 and wire member 38 permits limited relative movement of the wire member with respect to the tube. In use, this limited movement of the wire member 38 in the tube 39 together with the yieldable and elastic characteristics of the plastic tube minimize irritation of the finger by the splint.

A further modification of the splint of this invention is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and indicated generally at 41. The splint 41 has a wire member 42 having the shape of an oblong loop and is substantially identical with 6 physical characteristics and shape of the wire member 29 shown in FIG. 5*. The entire wire member 42 is encased in a soft plastic tube 43 having an internal diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the wire member 42. The relative limited movement of the wire member 42 in the tube together with the yieldable and elastic characteristics of the plastic tube substantially reduces the irritation of the finger by the splint.

In summary, the splint of this invention is usable to hold a terminating member or digit of an appendage in aset linear position while at the same time permitting the digit to have relatively free movement about the joint connecting the digit to the appendage member. The splint has a linear body section which is positionable adjacent the dorsal side of the digit. The body section comprises a plurality of stifi wires engageable with yieldable means which is interposed between the wire and the injured digit. The splint is held in a fixed position with respect to the digit by tape.

While there have been shown, described, and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it will be understood that a longer splint may be used to immobilize the metacarpal-phalangeal joint and various omissions, substitutions, changes in form, and details of the splint illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 6

1. A splint for an injured finger having a dorsal side and being connected to an appendage member by a metacarpal-phalangeal joint comprising;

(a) a flexible b ody'member having a linear body section with opposite side portions defining a transverse space therebetween substantially in a plane positionable adjacent the dorsal side of the finger, said body member being formed at one terminal end with an enlarged hollow loop section, said loop section lying in the plane of said linear section and positionable about said joint as to receive the central portion of the joint therein and the transverse interior dimension of said hollow loop section being larger than,

the transverseinterior dimension of said transverse space, and (b) a yieldable material secured to one side of said body member and positionable against the dorsal side of the finger and joint, whereby the finger, when secured to the body member, is freely movable with the body member relative to said joint.

2. The splint as defined in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said linear body section transverse space is elongated longitudinally substantially the entire length of said linear body section, said side portions being substantially parallel, transversely spaced and connected at one of the ends thereof to said loop section and connected together at the opposite ends thereof.

3. The splint as defined in claim 1, wherein said loop section has substantially uniform circular walls.

4. The splint as defined in claim 3 wherein said splint consists essentially of said body member and said yieldable material, and said body member extends only in said plane.

5. The splint as defined in claim 2, wherein said loop 2 section has substantially uniform circular walls.

6. The splint as defined in claim 1 wherein said splint consists essentially of said body member and said yieldable material, and said body member extends only in said plane.

References Cited OTHER REFERENCES Bohler Wire Finger Splint, p. 30 of Depuy Manufacturing Co. Inc., catalog 1954.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

J. W. IIINEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPLINT FOR AN INJURED FINGER HAVING A DORSAL SIDE AND BEING CONNECTED TO AN APPENDAGE MEMBER BY A METACARPAL-PHALANGEAL JOINT COMPRISING: (A) A FLEXIBLE BODY MEMBER HAVING A LINEAR BODY SECTION WITH OPPOSITE SIDE PORTIONS DEFINING A TRANSVERSE SPACE THEREBETWEEN SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE POSITIONABLE ADJACENT THE DORSAL SIDE OF THE FINGER, SAID BODY MEMBER BEING FORMED AT ONE TERMINAL END WITH AN ENLARGED HOLLOW LOOP SECTION, SAID LOOP SECTION LYING IN THE PLANE OF SAID LINEAR SECTION AND POSITIONABLE ABOUT SAID JOINT SO AS TO RECEIVE THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE JOINT THEREIN AND THE TRANSVERSE INTERIOR DIMENSION OF SAID HOLLOW LOOP SECTION BEING LARGER THAN THE TRANSVERSE INTERIOR DIMENSION OF SAID TRANSVERSE SPACE, AND (B) A YIELDABLE MATERIAL SECURED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND POSITIONABLE AGAINST THE DORSAL SIDE OF THE FINGER AND JOINT, WHEREBY THE FINGER, WHEN SECURED TO THE BODY MEMBER, IS FREELY MOVABLE WITH THE BODY MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID JOINT. 